


Would You Be So Kind (as to fall in love with me)

by bagofbags



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff, Hate to Love, M/M, Probably not smut, Slow Burn, choni, dont be too mean, first fic, just fluff, the choni we deserve, yes the title is a dodie song
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-02 09:57:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15794166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bagofbags/pseuds/bagofbags
Summary: Cheryl and Toni are almost opposites, but opposites attract right? A season 2 Riverdale fic that gives you the Choni that you deserve. I don't have a plan for this so I'll update the summary when I know what this fic is about.





	1. Prologue

First days of school are always rough, even for notoriously put together people like Cheryl Blossom. The freedom of summer gets ripped away from you and the only emotion you can even begin to process for six hours is confusion. Luckily for Cheryl, today is not her first day at Riverdale High. Unluckily for the Southside Serpents, it is theirs, and in unfamiliar territory nonetheless. And Cheryl Blossom is not setting out to ease the transition.

At the crack of dawn, as Cheryl preps her attack, another girl across town readies her defenses, even though she has no idea what Cheryl had in store. You might not expect a girl in a gang that grew up around less than honor roll students to be up this early, getting ready for school. If so, you would be thoroughly surprised to find Toni Topaz awake, showered, dressed, and packing her bag at 6am. Usually, Toni does not wake up this early, but last night she never really went to sleep. Although unbothered about being late to plans that she makes, Toni is neither tardy nor unprepared for deadlines set for her. On especially important occasions like today, she needed to be early and overprepared, since she doesn’t have a clue about what a school day on the Northside would entail.

She packed more than enough pens and pencils, as well as spare loose leaf paper and notebooks. If there’s one thing that Toni loves more than her friends, it’s her notebooks. She collects them, none of them ever quite filling up but they still have their stories behind them. She has her journal from The Red and Black that she drafted articles and took notes during interviews conducted by Jughead Jones. She has her Serpent sketchbook, in which she channels the intense feelings that come with being in a gang into a more productive medium. There were sketches and stories in there, but it also serves as a notepad for transcribing Serpent meetings and writing grocery lists for the Whyte Wyrm. Her most important book, however, is a seemingly plain leather bound notebook stashed in her Serpents jacket at all times. Here, Toni writes down anything that made her happy, for when living in poverty gets her down. Whenever these moments come around, Toni immediately writes them down, so as to accurately capture the happiness she feels in the moment. Her friends had seen her write in it but had never seen the contents, for they knew better than to ask. Once Fangs Fogarty got a little too close while she was writing in it and he almost lost an ear.

The switchblade brandished in that incident was also packed in her bag, though she didn’t expect to use it. She hardly pulled it out at Southside, and she expected to be in far less fights at innocent Riverdale than at Southside. However, it comes with the Serpent persona, so the knife stays.

After checking her bag for the fifth time without feeling like she needed to add anything, Toni checked the time to see that there is still more than an hour until school started. She sighed and decided that the most productive and least stress inducing thing she could do right now would be to make sure the rest of friends were also ready. Knowing them, she thought as she left the trailer, they probably aren’t.

Back at Thistlehouse, Cheryl Bombshell applies her finishing touches to her blood red lips. If she couldn’t kill these invaders, at least her looks could. For the 126th school day in a row, Cheryl finished getting ready at exactly 6:30am, giving her enough time to stop for coffee at Pop’s Diner before school started. Smirking at her reflection as she turned, Cheryl made her way out. The smile fell before she could even make it out the front door, because of her revolting mother’s daily degradations about how Cheryl was _such a disappointing daughter_. Truly a stellar start to what promised to be a taxing day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not sure where this is gonna go, so why don't you join me for the ride.


	2. Migraine

Cheryl Blossom exudes power. Like a prophet parting the seas she commands the halls of Riverdale High, and she will not let this day be an exception.

Cheryl parks in the the teachers’ lot so as to avoid any possible collisions with her plebeian classmates and because, really, who’s going to tell Cheryl Blossom she couldn’t. Stepping out of her shiny red 1961 Chevy Impala, Cheryl thinks of her brother. She wonders if he would be proud of her if he were here. But as her mother would so flagrantly remind her, _Jason is gone_. Jason, the only person she knew for sure loved her, and her father killed him. Now her father is dead too. _They’re dead and they aren’t coming back. What do you care anyway? It’s not like you ever loved them. You don’t know how._

Cheryl tried to push her mother’s derisions aside, but was left feeling angry without an outlet. That is, until she entered the main hallway of the school. There stood all of the outlets she needed. The Serpents had arrived.

xxx

The boys finished getting ready sooner than Toni had imagined they would. _I guess it doesn’t take long when you don’t brush your hair_ , she thought as she looked at Jughead’s scruffy mop. Jughead was the most fidgety of the group. Everyone else was happy that Southside High had shut down. Jughead seemed worried about the thought of going back to the Northside. Maybe he never fit in there, maybe it was his two worlds colliding, maybe it wasn’t a concept but a person. Whatever it was, it was causing him distress. Jughead usually wore his emotions on his sleeve, but today they adorned his eyes. This is why Toni loves photography. No artist in the world could capture the emotions dancing behind the boy’s eyes like the film could. But as soon as Jughead noticed her staring it all went away as a light pink tinged his cheeks. Just like that the troubled boy cast away his worries so he could take on others’.

“Okay everybody,” he addressed the group as they started their trek toward the school. “You only get one chance to introduce yourself at Riverdale High. And if you're not making friends, you’re making enemies.”

“What, you think we can’t handle a bunch of Northside cookies?” interjected Sweet Pea. His tone was mocking, but there was a real question behind it. How would the Northside treat them?

“I’m not worried about you not being able to handle them. I’m worried about them not being able to handle us. Most of these kids have never met a Southsider, only heard about us from their parents or the news. They’ll be ready to shoot if we look at them wrong.” Now the gang was hanging on to Jughead’s every word. He was their mole in Operation Survive. “We can’t go in there starting a war like with the Ghoulies. If we use those tactics we’ll be in the ground faster than you can say-”

“Southside Serpents!”

A new voice joined the conversation as they had reached their new high school. The gang stood at the bottom of stairs and gave a reproachful look up at the Northsider who dared use their name in such a lighthearted manner, as if she just called them the Girl Scouts. Indeed, the raven haired preppy did seem to be under at least a similar impression, because she only smiled wider and held out what seemed to be goody bags when met with the Serpents’ eyes.

“My name is Veronica Lodge, I’m here to personally welcome you to Riverdale High.” As Veronica spoke, Toni noticed other students eyeing the leather jackets apprehensively.

“And what a warm welcome” Toni remarked to herself. The other Serpents snickered but Veronica pretended not to hear her, instead plowing on with a speech Toni bet she had practiced in a mirror.

“Walk through these doors with me and I’ll show you the best that Riverdale has to offer.”

xxx

“Stand down Eva Peròn” a vaguely familiar voice demanded from down the hall. Toni didn’t see who made the comment, but she did recognize the name from a musical called Evita. Eva Peròn was the wife of an Argentinian President who also dabbled in politics herself. Toni didn’t see the resemblance between Veronica and this random Latin American reference, and thought that Jackie O would be a much better comparison. Toni should not have been contemplating a throwaway comment that hard, but the lack of effort in the supposed diss was underwhelming.

“No one invited fascist Barbie, Cheryl” Veronica retorted. _See now that’s a good comparison._ Toni thought. _This Cheryl is obviously upper class, discriminatory, and she’s dressed up as a working girl Barbie. Bright red dress that was tight in the right places, same shade of red on her soft, full lips, and legs that go on for miles… just.. Um…. a good comparison._

“Listen up ragamuffins” the redhead commanded, which drew Toni out of her thoughts. “I will not have Riverdale’s above average GPA suffer because of classrooms crowded with-” she looked at Toni for just a second too long “-underachievers.”

Toni was livid. _How could this condescending, aristocratic, gorgeous bitch say such things and get away with it?_ Toni would make sure she wouldn’t, she would step up. As she did, her heart rate rose.

“Why don’t you come over here and say that to my face?” Toni’s blood pounded in her ears when she saw this privileged princess step toward her as well.

“Happily, Queen of the Buskers” Toni’s eyes never strayed from Cheryl’s even as the skirmish was broken up. The girl’s eyes were piercing and cold, but there was something behind them… something Toni couldn’t quite figure out… something... sad.

xxx

“I’m here to talk to you about Nick St. Clair.”

That caught Cheryl off guard. She had expected Archie Andrews to come to her saying that he would talk Veronica out of supporting the Southside scum, because she had blackmailed him to do so. She had seen him kiss Betty Cooper a little while ago, and that was the thickest wedge she could drive between all the members of that group. The thought of having that much power excited her.

The thought of Nick St. Clair did the opposite. She felt a pain in her chest, like she had gotten the wind knocked out of her. Her throat started to close up and she turned around so as to keep her composure.

She stumbled through the rest of Archie’s questions and barely processed it. She felt sick, lightheaded. As soon as Archie stormed out Cheryl took a shaky, deep breath. Her lungs rattled with the stuttered air flow. Cheryl almost wanted to curl up in the lounge and cry, but she knew she needed to keep herself together; anyone could walk by, or God forbid into the student lounge at any minute. So instead she waged a near silent war in her brain as she struggled to collect herself. If anyone were to lock eyes with her in this moment, they would see the guns ablaze in her soul, and, knowing Cheryl, she would probably project the violence outwards. Cheryl didn’t want to lash out at everyone who tried to console her, it’s just the way she copes. She hasn’t been able to openly tell anyone about anything personal since Jason died. No one could understand her the way he did. No one could care about her like he did. And she feared no one would even try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> title of the chapter is reference to Migraine by twenty one pilots. I thought about that when writing the part where cheryl is in distress.


	3. Nobody's Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the support! School has just started so I had to delay this chapter but it's pretty juicy and angsty so there's that. I'll try to do more regular maybe weekly updates. Hold me to that. Chapter title comes from the queen of angst herself, Avril Lavigne

# Chapter 2

Toni sat in her History class, trying to stay awake while Jughead did all the work on their partner project. Usually Toni would try to contribute, but Juggie got so into history that she couldn’t keep up with his pace. Not that Toni didn’t like history, it’s just that she didn’t like this version of it. She’d heard the same tales told by her grandfather in a very different tone.

Instead Toni’s mind wandered to the standoff she’d had this morning with that rude, ravishing redhead. _What was her deal anyway?_ Jughead saw her demeanor shift and, being his sweet self, he stopped working so he could ask her what was wrong.

“It’s nothing. I’m just thinking about that girl from this morning. The one who would be like if Chucky was on Queer Eye?” _Jesus. That’s worse than anything Cheryl’s come up with._

“You mean Cheryl?” Jug laughed. “Yeah she’s kinda crazy sometimes but I really try with her because… you know…” Jughead seemed like he was going to stop there until Toni showed no recognition in her eyes. “What my dad did to her brother…”

It suddenly clicked for Toni. Of course that was Cheryl Blossom. It was **her** brother who was killed by her **own** father and then disposed of unceremoniously by hired Serpents. Toni tried to hold on to the same anger she had for the girl only a few seconds ago, but it slipped through her fingers like sand.

xxx

Cheryl’s study hall was almost done and she was not nearly as presentable as she needed to be. Her makeup was still smudged and her eyes were still puffy, but there was no way she could make a break for the bathroom without running into anyone. No, it was much better to stay here, in her own little corner of the student lounge. Where it was safe.

The life of a Blossom was lonely, and Cheryl wished she had someone to share it with. Of course she had her grief counselor, but she wanted someone who truly cared about her, not just because they were getting paid to. This is why things with Archie wouldn’t have worked out, even if he hadn’t rejected her. She had tried with Josie, but Josie was too pure, too innocent for someone as fucked up as Cheryl. So Cheryl was alone. Alone in life, alone in the room.

Cheryl sighed. Her tears were dry now, she could redo her makeup. She pulled out her Bag for Emotional Breakdowns, got out makeup wipes and her mirror, and went through her routine. Get rid of the old, the messed up, the damaged. Put on the new, untouched, pristine. As she put the finishing touches on her mascara, another figure was reflected in the glass. It was that tiny girl with the pink hair, the one stupid enough to stand up to her. Maybe the only one who even cared enough. One last tear fell and she wiped it away as she turned around.

“What are you doing here?” She demanded of the smaller girl. The girl looked shocked only for a second, and then peered closer at her, more inquisitive. 

“Were you crying?” the pink haired punk asked. Cheryl felt heat rising in her body.

“No- I. I asked you first. I poked my eye with my mascara. Even if I was crying, why would you care? I thought snakes were cold blooded.” Cheryl was bewildered when the girl smirked at what should have been one of her more devastating insults.

“Maybe you’re not as witless as you seem. And as for what I’m doing here… well it is a student lounge… and you maybe not be thrilled to hear it, but I am a student. If you can’t put that together I might have to rescind my first comment. Toni Topaz.” The serpent stuck out her hand as if she wanted Cheryl to shake it, and Cheryl couldn’t believe her eyes. She stumbled back a bit and quickly gathered up her things. 

“No thanks. I haven’t had my rabies shot this year” and with that Cheryl moved swiftly out of the room. She didn’t rush, because that would be improper, but she did put some pep in her step to make it out of the room before the walls closed in on her for the second time that day. 

Behind her, Toni’s smirk had fallen, and was replaced with a look of what might be genuine concern.

xxx

Cheryl’s day passed much less eventfully for Cheryl Blossom. She had made at least three girls cry in front of her, which helped her to regain her swagger. By the time she got home after cheer practice, she was back to her normal self. But of course, Penelope Blossom could not be happy unless Cheryl was unhappy, so something had to change.

Cheryl had only walked in the front door, still slightly sweaty and in her cheer uniform, when Penelope started her verbal onslaught.

“Where have you been?” She looked at Cheryl’s only slightly disheveled appearance with disgust. “I swear if you have been messing around with some boy like some **whore** instead of studying so you can **maybe** make it into-”

  
“No, mother!” Cheryl interrupted. “Why would I- nevermind. I guess this apple fell far from the tree.” Cheryl shot back, eyeing her mother’s skimpy nightgown. Penelope’s eyes narrowed. 

“Right. Silly me. Of course, no boy would choose to stay around you for long. You don’t even know what love is.” Cheryl was tired of confrontation for the day, and more than anything she wanted to just fling herself onto her luxurious bed like a distressed Disney princess. However, she was also tired of feeling like she lost these arguments, so she rallied for what would hopefully be the last conversation of the night.

“I do know love, mother. I may not be feeling it now, but I have.” Penelope scoffed at Cheryl’s confession.

 “Spare me. The only kind of love you’ve experienced was perverse, warped and deviant.”

 Cheryl was already fragile, and now she was coming close to her breaking point. Her eyes filled with tears and her voice started to get unsteady as she said,

 “Even if it was… it was mine. But you couldn’t let me have it could you. You did everything in your power to destroy it.” Cheryl did not want to lose her composure for the second time today, so she turned her back on her mother. Facing away from her didn’t stop the devastating remarks from reaching her ears loud and clear.

 “I hardly did a thing. It was you who made it impossible for anyone to love you. You’re jealous. You’re clearly unstable. Maybe you could have been loved by someone very patient before… but not now. No… you’re too damaged now.” Cheryl wanted to run but she had nowhere to go. This only made her more upset, because she realized her mother was right. There was no one to take her in if she couldn’t stay with her mother, who had menacingly crept toward her, and put a gloved hand on her shoulder. “Why don’t you go up to bed now, mommy has a guest coming over and I wouldn’t want you to ruin anything else.” Cheryl nodded and hung her head, stepping towards the stairs, for it was the only place she could go.

 “One last thing, Cheryl,” her mother called as Cheryl had only dragged her right foot onto the stairs. She looked at her mother with tears threatening to spill over. Her mother only smiled in response. “Sleep tight."


End file.
